Seeding machine with seed delivery system

ABSTRACT

A seed delivery system for use in a seeding or planting machine that removes the seed from a seed meter by capturing the seed therefrom. The delivery system then moves the seed down to a lower discharge point and accelerates the seed horizontally rearward to a speed approximately equal to the forward travel speed of the seeding machine such that the seed, when discharged has a low or zero horizontal velocity relative to the ground. Rolling of the seed in the trench is thus reduced. Furthermore, as the seed only has a short drop from the outlet to the bottom of the seed trench, the seed has little vertical speed to induce bounce. The delivery system uses a brush belt to capture, move and accelerate the seed. By capturing the seed and moving it from the meter to the discharge, the seed is held in place relative to other seeds and the planter row unit. As a result, the seeds are isolated from row unit dynamics thereby maintaining seed spacing.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a seeding machine having a seed metering systemand a seed delivery system for delivering seed from the meter to theground.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An agricultural seeding machine such as a row crop planter or graindrill places seeds at a desired depth within a plurality of parallelseed trenches formed in soil. In the case of a row crop planter, aplurality of row crop units are typically ground driven using wheels,shafts, sprockets, transfer cases, chains and the like or powered byelectric or hydraulic motors. Each row crop unit has a frame which ismovably coupled with a tool bar. The frame may carry a main seed hopper,herbicide hopper and insecticide hopper. If a herbicide and insecticideare used, the metering mechanisms associated with dispensing thegranular product into the seed trench are relatively simple. On theother hand, the mechanisms necessary to properly meter the seeds, anddispense the seeds at predetermined relative locations within the seedtrench are relatively complicated.

The mechanisms associated with metering and placing the seeds generallycan be divided into a seed metering system and a seed placement systemwhich are in series communication with each other. The seed meteringsystem receives the seeds in a bulk manner from the seed hopper carriedby the planter frame or by the row unit. Different types of seedmetering systems may be used, such as seed plates, finger plates, seeddisks, etc. In the case of a seed disk metering system a seed disk isformed with a plurality of seed cells spaced about the periphery of thedisk. Seeds are moved into the seed cells with one or more seeds in eachseed cell depending upon the size and configuration of the seed cell. Avacuum or positive air pressure differential may be used in conjunctionwith the seed disk to assist in movement of the seeds into the seedcell. The seeds are singulated and discharged at a predetermined rate tothe seed placement or delivery system.

The most common seed delivery system may be categorized as a gravitydrop system. In the case of the gravity drop system, a seed tube has aninlet end which is positioned below the seed metering system. Thesingulated seeds from the seed metering system merely drop into the seedtube and fall via gravitational force from a discharge end thereof intothe seed trench. The seed tube may have a rearward curvature to reducebouncing of the seed as it strikes the bottom of the seed trench and toimpart a horizontal velocity to the seed in order to reduce the relativevelocity between the seed and the ground. Undesirable variation inresultant in-ground seed spacing can be attributed to differences in howindividual seeds exit the metering system and drop through the seedtube. The spacing variation is exacerbated by higher travel speedsthrough the field which amplifies the dynamic field conditions. Furtherseed spacing variations are caused by the inherent relative velocitydifference between the seeds and the soil as the seeding machine travelsthrough a field. This relative velocity difference causes individualseeds to bounce and tumble in somewhat random patterns as each seedcomes to rest in the trench.

Various attempts have been made to reduce the variation in seed spacingresulting from the gravity drop. U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,706 shows twoapproaches. One approach uses a belt with flights to transport the seedsfrom the meter to the ground while the other approach uses two belts togrip the seed and transport it from the meter to the ground. While theseapproaches control the seed path and reduce variability due to dynamicevents, neither approach seeks to deliver the seed with as small aspossible horizontal velocity difference relative to the ground. U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,651,57, 7,185,596 and 7,343,868 show a seed delivery systemusing a brush wheel near the ground to regulate the horizontal velocityand direction of the seed as it exits the seeding machine. However,there is still a gravity drop between the seed meter and the brush wheelwhich produces variation in seed spacing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a seed delivery system that removes theseed from the seed meter by capturing the seed. The delivery system thenmoves the seed down to a lower discharge point and accelerates the seedrearward to a horizontal velocity approximately equal to the forwardtravel speed of the seeding machine such that the seed, when discharged,has a low or zero horizontal velocity relative to the ground. Rolling ofthe seed in the trench is reduced as a result of the near zerohorizontal velocity relative to the ground. Furthermore, as the seedexperiences a controlled descent from the point at which it is removedfrom the meter to a point very near the bottom of the trench, the systembecomes a nearly impervious to the field dynamics experienced by the rowunit. The combination of controlled descent and discharge at asubstantially zero horizontal speed relative to the ground reduces seedspacing variability.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a planter having the seed delivery system ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of a row unit of the planter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the seed delivery system of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a planter row unit showing the metering systemorientation in one alternative arrangement of the metering system anddelivery system of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view similar to FIG. 4 illustrating the delivery systemwith the meter housing removed;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the row unit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the seed disk used in the seed metershown in FIGS. 4-6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 illustrating theorientation of the seed disk and brush or the seed delivery system ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a row unit showing the orientation of thedelivery system of the present invention and a vacuum belt seed meter;

FIG. 10 is a side view of another orientation of the seed deliverysystem of the invention with a vacuum belt seed meter; and

FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the orientation of the seed deliverysystem of the invention with a finger pick-up meter.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1 an example planter or seeding machine 10 isshown containing the seed delivery system of the present invention.Planter 10 includes a tool bar 12 as part of a planter frame 14. Mountedto the tool bar are multiple planting row units 16. Row units 16 aretypically identical for a given planter but there may be differences. Arow unit 16 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The row unit 16 isprovided with a central frame member 20 having a pair of upwardlyextending arms 21 (FIG. 4) at the forward end thereof. The arms 21connect to a parallelogram linkage 22 for mounting the row unit 16 tothe tool bar 12 for up and down relative movement between the unit 16and toolbar 12 in a known manner. Seed is stored in seed hopper 24 andprovided to a seed meter 26. Seed meter 26 is of the type that uses avacuum disk as are well known to meter the seed. Other types of meterscan be used as well. From the seed meter 26 the seed is carried by adelivery system 28 into a planting furrow, or trench, formed in the soilby furrow openers 30. Gauge wheels 32 control the depth of the furrow.Closing wheels 34 close the furrow over the seed. The gauge wheels 32are mounted to the frame member 20 by arms 36. The toolbar and row unitare designed to be move over the ground in a forward working directionidentified by the arrow 38.

The row unit 16 further includes a chemical hopper 40, a row cleanerattachment 42 and a down force generator 44. The row unit 16 is shown asan example of the environment in which the delivery system of thepresent invention is used. The present invention can be used in any of avariety of planting machine types such as, but not limited to, row cropplanters, grain drills, air seeders, etc.

With reference to FIG. 3, the seed delivery system 28 is shown ingreater detail. Delivery system 28 includes a housing 48 positionedadjacent the seed disk 50 of the seed meter. The seed disk 50 is agenerally flat disk with a plurality of apertures 52 adjacent theperiphery of the disk. Seeds 56 are collected on the apertures from aseed pool and adhere to the disk by air pressure differential on theopposite sides of the disk 50 in a known manner. The disk may have aflat surface at the apertures 52 or have seed cells surrounding theapertures 52. The disk rotates clockwise as viewed in FIG. 3 as shown bythe arrow 54. At the top of FIG. 3, seeds 56 are shown adhered to thedisk.

The seed delivery system housing 48 has spaced apart front and rearwalls 49 and 51 and a side wall 53 therebetween. An upper opening 58 inthe housing side wall 53 admits the seed from the metering disk 50 intothe housing. A pair of pulleys 60, 62 are mounted inside the housing 48.The pulleys support a belt 64 for rotation within the housing. One ofthe pulleys is a drive pulley while the other is an idler pulley. Thebelt has a base member 66 to engage the pulleys and elongated bristles70 extending therefrom, The bristles are joined to the base member atproximal, or radially inner, ends of the bristles. Distal, or radiallyouter, ends 74 of the bristles touch, or are close to touching, theinner surface 76 of the housing side wall 53. A lower housing opening 78is formed in the side wall 53 and is positioned as close to the bottom80 of the seed trench as possible. As shown, the lower opening 78 isnear or below the soil surface 82 adjacent the trench. The housing sidewall forms an exit ramp 84 at the lower opening 78.

Returning attention to the upper portion of FIG. 3, a loading wheel 86is provided adjacent the upper opening 58. The loading wheel ispositioned on the opposite side of the seeds 56 from the brush 64 suchthat the path of the seeds on the disk brings the seeds into a nip 88formed between the loading wheel and the distal ends 74 of the bristles70. At the location of the nip 88, the air pressure differential acrossthe seed disk 50 is terminated, freeing the seed from the apertures 52in the disk. The bottom surface of the loading wheel, facing the seeddisk 50, has recesses 90 formed therein. The recesses 90 receive seedagitators 92 projecting from the seed disk 50. The moving agitators, byengagement with the recesses in the loading wheel, drive the loadingwheel in a clockwise rotation.

In operation, the belt 64 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction. Asthe belt curves around the pulleys, the bristles will naturally open,that is, separate from one another as the distal ends of the bristlestravel a larger circumferential distance around the pulleys than theinner ends of the bristle at the belt base member. This produces twobeneficial effects as described below. The seeds are transferred fromthe seed meter to the delivery system as the seeds are brought by thedisk into the nip 88. There the seeds are pinched off the seed diskbetween the loading wheel and the bristles 70 to remove the seed fromthe seed disk and seed meter. The seeds are captured or entrapped in thebristles by insertion of the seed into the bristles in a radialdirection, that is from the ends of the bristles in a direction parallelto the bristle length. This occurs just as the belt path around thepulley 60 ends, when the bristle ends are closing back together uponthemselves, allowing the bristles to close upon, and capture the seedstherein. As the belt continues to move, the bristles move or convey theseeds downward to the housing lower opening. The side wall 53 of thehousing cooperates with the bristles 70 to hold the seed in the brushbristles as the seed is moved to the lower opening.

The lower opening 78 and the ramp 84 are positioned along the curvedbelt path around the pulley 62. The bristle distal ends thus cause thelinear speed of the seeds to accelerate relative to the speed of thebelt base member 66 and the housing as shown by the two arrows 94 and96. The seeds are then propelled by the bristles over the ramp 84 anddischarged through the lower opening 78 into the seed trench. The angleof the ramp 84 can be selected to produce the desired relationshipbetween the seed vertical and horizontal speeds at discharge. Theforward travel direction of the row unit is to the left in FIG. 3 asshown by the arrow 38. At the discharge, the horizontal speed of theseed relative to the ground is minimized to reduce roll of the seed inthe trench.

The belt shown in FIG. 3 has relatively long bristles. As a result ofthe long bristles and the seed loading point being at the end of thecurved path of the brush around the pulley 60 results in the seeds beingloaded into the belt while the bristles have slowed down in speed. Thebristle speed at loading is thus slower than the bristle speed at thedischarge opening as the belt travels around the pulley 62. This allowsin the seed to be loaded into the belt at a relatively lower speed whilethe seed is discharged at the lower end at a desired higher speed. Asdescribed above, it is preferred that the horizontal velocity of theseed at the discharge be equal to the forward travel speed of theplanter but in the rearward direction such that the horizontal velocityof the seed relative to the ground is close to or equal to zero. Thelong bristles can be used to increase the speed of the seed as ittravels around the pulley. However, a short bristle brush can be used aswell. With a short bristle brush, there will be little acceleration inthe speed of the seed as the seed travels around the pulleys. The beltwill have to be driven at a speed to produce the desired horizontalvelocity of the seed at the discharge. Even with a short bristle brush,the seed is still accelerated in the horizontal direction. As the belttravels around the pulley, the direction of travel of the seed changesfrom the predominantly vertical direction, when the seed is moveddownward from the seed meter, to a predominantly horizontal direction atthe discharge. This produces an acceleration of the seed velocity in thehorizontal direction.

With the delivery system 28, the seed is captured by the delivery systemto remove the seed from the seed meter. The seed is then moved by thedelivery system to the seed discharge point where the seed isaccelerated in a rearward horizontal direction relative to the housing.From the seed meter to the discharge, the seed travel is controlled bythe delivery system, thus maintaining the seed spacing relative to oneanother.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the seed disk and the front and rearwalls 49, 51 of the housing 48 lie in planes that are generally parallelone another. As shown, the plane of the delivery system is generallyparallel to the direction of travel of the row unit. Other relationshipsbetween the seed meter and delivery system are shown and describedbelow.

As shown in FIG. 3, the side wall 53 is divided by the upper and loweropenings 58, 78 into two segments, 53 a and 53 b. Segment 53 a isbetween the upper and lower openings in the direction of belt travelwhile the segment 53 b is between the lower and upper openings in thedirection of belt travel. It is the gaps in the side wall 53 that formthe upper and lower openings. It should be understood, however, that thedelivery system will function without the segment 53 b of the side wall.It is only the segment 53 a that functions together with the beltbristles to deliver the seed from the meter to the seed trench. Thus,the term “upper opening” shall be construed to mean a open area beforethe side wall segment 53 a in the direction of belt travel and the term“lower opening” shall mean an open area after the side wall segment 53 ain the direction of belt travel.

With reference to FIGS. 4-7, the delivery system 28 is shown incombination with the seed meter and row unit structure in an alternativearrangement of the seed meter and delivery system 28. The seed meter 200is shown mounted to the row unit with the seed disk 202 in a verticalorientation but at an angle to the forward travel direction shown by thearrow 38. FIG. 4 shows of the seed meter orientation in the row unitwithout the delivery system 28. The seed meter includes a housing havingtwo halves 204 and 206 releasable joined together in a known manner. Theseed meter is driven through a transmission 208 coupled to a drivecable, not shown.

In FIG. 5 only the seed disk 202 of the meter is shown with the seeddelivery system 28. As previously mentioned, the seed disk 202 is in avertical orientation but it does not lie in a plane parallel to theforward direction 38. Instead, the meter is oriented such that the diskis at a 60° angle relative to the forward direction when viewed fromabove. The seed of delivery system 28 is generally identical to thatshown in FIG. 3 and is driven by a motor 65. The delivery system,including of the brush belt 64, is generally vertical and aligned withthe fore and aft direction of the planter such that the angle betweenthe brush and the seed disk is approximately 60°. The angle between thedelivery system and a seed disk produces a partial “cross feed” of theseed into the brush. That is, the seed is fed into the brush at an angleto the lengthwise direction of the bristles. This is in contrast to FIG.3 where the seed enters the brush in a direction substantially parallelto the lengthwise direction of the brush bristles. If the brush and seeddisk were oriented at 90° to one another, a total cross feed would beproduced with seed entering the brush perpendicular to the bristles.

The seed disk 202 is shown enlarged in FIGS. 7 and 8. The disk 202 hasopposite sides, a vacuum side 216 and seed side 218. The seed side 218has a surface 219 near the periphery that defines a reference plane. Thereference plane will be used to describe the features of the disk nearthe disk periphery. An outer peripheral lip 220 is recessed from thereference plane. The peripheral lip 220 creates a radially outward edgeface 222. A circumferential row of spaced apart apertures 224 isarranged around a circular path radially inward of the edge face 222.Each aperture extends through the disk between the vacuum side 216 andthe seed side 218. Radially inward of each aperture 224, there is aradially elongated recess 226. The recess 226 is recessed axially intothe disk from the reference plane. In operation, the disk rotates in acounterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 228. Duringrotation, the recesses 226 agitate the seed in the seed pool.

Surrounding each aperture 224 is a tapered recess, or shallow seed cell,232 that extends axially into the disk from the reference plane. Seedcell 232 begins at a leading edge 234 in the direction of rotation ofthe disk and is progressively deeper into the seed side 218 to atrailing edge formed by an axially projecting wall 236. The taperedrecess or seed cell 232 reduces the vacuum needed to pick-up and retainseed in the apertures 224. The seed cell also enables the seed to sitlower relative to the seed side 218 of the disk, allowing the seed to beretained while the seed singulator removes doubles or multiples of seedfrom the apertures 224. In addition, the recess wall 236 agitates seedin the seed pool, further aiding in seed pick-up. The wall 236 extendslengthwise in a predominately radial direction as shown by the dashedline 238. The walls 236, while predominately radial, are inclined to theradial direction such that the inner end of the wall 236 is leading theouter end of the wall in the direction of rotation. Immediatelyfollowing each wall 236, as the disk rotates, is a projection, orupstanding peg, 240 extending axially from the disk seed side. The pegsengage seed in the seed pool for agitation to aide in seed pick-up. Thepegs 240 are located slightly radially inward of the circular path ofapertures 224 to avoid interference with the seed singulator.

With reference to FIG. 8, the disk 202 is shown in operation and inposition relative to the belt 64 in the delivery system 28. As seeds 244are carried by the disk 202 into the bristles of the brush 64, the wall236 and the pegs 240 act to push the seed 244 into the bristles of thebrush 64 and assist in keeping the seed from being knocked off the diskupon the seed's initial contact with the brush bristles. Once the seedis inserted into the brush bristles, the vacuum from the opposite sideof the disk is cut-off, allowing the brush to sweep the seed off thedisk in a predominately radial direction relative to the disk. An insert246 overlies the lip 220 at the point of seed release to hold the seedin the brush bristles in the transition between the disk and the sidewall 53 (FIG. 3) of the delivery system housing. The disk 202 isinclined to the length of the brush bristles at approximately a 60degree angle. This produces the partial cross-feed of the seed into thebrush bristles.

FIG. 9 shows the brush belt seed delivery system 28 in combination witha vacuum belt metering system having a metering belt 302. The vacuumbelt meter is fully described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.No. ______ and incorporated herein by reference. The belt 302 picks-upseed at a pick-up region 304 at a lower, front location of the belt'spath and transports it to the delivery system at an release region 306at an upper, rear location of the belt's path. In this arrangement ofthe belt meter and the brush delivery system, the delivery system isagain partially cross fed with seeds from the meter.

Another arrangement of the delivery system together with a vacuum meterbelt is shown in FIG. 10. The delivery system 28 is in-line with thebelt meter 124. This allows the distal ends of the brush bristles tosweep over the surface of the metering belt 126 to capture the seedtherefrom. The meter belt 126 is wrapped around pulleys 128. Themetering belt 124 is similar and functions as the belt 302 mentionedabove.

The delivery system of the present invention can also be used with seedmeters other than air pressure differential meters. For example, withreference to FIG. 11, a finger pick-up meter 130 is shown, such as thatdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,601 and incorporated herein byreference. Seed is ejected from the meter through an opening 132. Thedelivery system 134 has a brush belt 136 wrapped about pulleys 138 and140. As shown, the belt pulley 138 shares a common drive shaft withfinger pick-up meter 130. A hub transmission such as a sphericalcontinuously variable transmission or a three speed hub can be used todrive the belt 136 at a different speed from the meter 130. The deliverysystem housing includes a side wall 142. A ramp 146 is formed at thelower end of the wall 142 adjacent the lower opening 148. At the upperend of the delivery system, the upper opening is formed in the housingrear wall adjacent the opening 132 through which seeds are ejected fromthe seed meter. The seeds are inserted laterally into the brush bristlesin a complete cross-feed. As in the other embodiments, the seed iscaptured in the brush bristles, moved downward to the lower opening,accelerated rearward and discharged through the lower opening 148.

The endless member of the delivery system has been described as being abrush belt with bristles. In a broad sense, the bristles form an outerperiphery of contiguous disjoint surfaces that engage and grip the seed.While brush bristles are the preferred embodiment, and may be natural orsynthetic, other material types can be used to grip the seed such as afoam pad, expanded foam pad, mesh pad or fiber pad.

Having described the preferred embodiment, it will become apparent thatvarious modifications can be made without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

1.-10. (canceled)
 11. A seed metering and delivery apparatus for use ona row unit of a planting implement for metering seed and delivering theseed to a seed trench in soil during a seeding operation, the seedmetering and delivery apparatus comprising: a seed meter comprising aseed disk rotatable about a seed disk axis, wherein the seed diskcomprises: a front face and a rear face; and a plurality of aperturesarranged in a circular pattern, spaced inwardly from an outer edge ofthe seed disk, and forming a seed path, wherein each aperture of theplurality of apertures extends through the seed disk between the frontface and the rear face and is configured to retain the seed in place onthe front face of the seed disk by a pressure differential across theplurality of apertures, wherein the seed meter is configured to move theseed along the seed path to a removal location, and wherein the seedmeter is configured to be mounted to the row unit such that the seeddisk is held in a substantially vertical orientation and at an angle toa forward travel direction of the row unit; a delivery systemcomprising: an elongated housing comprising an upper end, a lower end, afirst side wall, a second side wall, a front wall, and a rear wall,wherein the housing further comprises an upper opening through which theseed is received into the housing and a lower opening through which theseed is discharged from the housing, wherein the housing of the deliverysystem is configured to move in a seeding direction at a first seedingspeed; an upper roller rotatable about a first roller axis and a lowerroller rotatable about a second roller axis; a delivery belt comprisinga base member and a plurality of projections having proximal endsextending from the base member and distal ends opposite the proximateends, wherein the delivery belt is rotatably held within the housing andaround the upper roller and the lower roller such that the distal endsof the plurality of projections are disposed proximate at least aportion of an inner surface of the first side wall between the upperopening and the lower opening; wherein the delivery belt is configuredto move the seed along a delivery path comprising a substantiallystraight portion, and wherein the delivery belt is configured todischarge the seed from the lower opening of the housing with adischarge velocity having a rearward velocity component in a directionopposite the seeding direction; and a loading wheel rotatable about aloading wheel axis, wherein the loading wheel is positioned adjacent thefront face of the seed disk and at least partially overlapping the seedpath at the removal location, wherein the loading wheel is configured toengage the seed retained on the front face of the seed disk and redirectthe seed from the seed path into the upper opening of the housing. 12.The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the seeddisk is held in the substantially vertical orientation and at a non-zeroangle to the forward travel direction of the row unit.
 13. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 12, wherein the seed disk isheld in the substantially vertical orientation and at a sixty degreeangle to the forward travel direction of the row unit.
 14. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 12, wherein the seed disk isheld in the substantially vertical orientation and perpendicular to theforward travel direction of the row unit.
 15. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the seed disk further comprisesa pocket at least partially surrounding each aperture of the pluralityof apertures.
 16. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11,wherein the seed disk further comprises a plurality of seed channels atleast partially inset into the front face of the seed disk, wherein theplurality of seed channels is configured to agitate the seed in the seedmeter.
 17. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 16, whereineach seed channel of the plurality of seed channels corresponds to oneaperture of the plurality of apertures.
 18. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of seed channelsis disposed radially inward of the plurality of apertures.
 19. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 16, wherein each seed channelof the plurality of seed channels is angled with respect to a radius ofthe seed disk such that an internal end wall of a seed channel trails anouter end wall of the seed channel in a direction of rotation of theseed disk.
 20. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 16,wherein each seed channel of the plurality of seed channels comprises anangled front wall, an internal end wall, a rear wall that issubstantially perpendicular to the front face of the seed disk, and anouter end wall.
 21. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim20, wherein each seed channel of the plurality of seed channels isconfigured such that the rear wall of a seed channel trails the angledfront wall in a direction of rotation of the seed disk.
 22. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 20, wherein each seed channelof the plurality of seed channels corresponds to one aperture of theplurality of apertures, and wherein the outer end wall of each seedchannel terminates at its corresponding aperture of the plurality ofapertures.
 23. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11,wherein the seed disk further comprises a plurality of axiallyprojecting walls, each axially projecting wall of the plurality ofaxially projecting walls being disposed between adjacent apertures ofthe plurality of apertures and at least partially on the seed path. 24.The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 23, wherein eachaxially projecting wall of the plurality of axially projecting wallsextends lengthwise in a predominantly radial direction.
 25. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 24, wherein each axiallyprojecting wall of the plurality of axially projecting walls extendslengthwise in a direction inclined to a radial direction such that anouter end of an axially projecting wall trails an inner end of theaxially projecting wall in a direction of rotation of the seed disk. 26.The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 23, wherein the seeddisk further comprises a plurality of projections extending axially fromthe front face of the seed disk, wherein each projection of theplurality of projections is disposed between one aperture of theplurality of apertures and an adjacent axially projecting wall of theplurality of axially projecting walls.
 27. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 26, wherein each axially projecting wall ofthe plurality of axially projecting walls trails an aperture of theplurality of apertures in a direction of rotation of the seed disk andeach projection of the plurality of projections trails an axiallyprojecting wall of the plurality of axially projecting walls in thedirection of rotation of the seed disk.
 28. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the seed disk further comprisesa peripheral lip at least partially recessed from the front face of theseed disk and extending circumferentially around an outer periphery ofthe seed disk.
 29. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 28,wherein the peripheral lip is flat from a radial innermost edge of theperipheral lip to a radial outermost edge of the peripheral lip.
 30. Theseed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 28, wherein the seed diskfurther comprises a radially outward edge face extending axiallyinwardly with respect to the front face of the seed disk and disposedradially between the peripheral lip and the plurality of apertures. 31.The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the seedmeter further comprises a singulator configured to remove an extra seedfrom the plurality of apertures as the seed meter moves the seed alongthe seed path before the seed reaches the removal location.
 32. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the housing of thedelivery system is inclined in a vertical direction.
 33. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 32, wherein the housing of thedelivery system is inclined in the vertical direction such that thelower end of the housing trails the upper end of the housing in theforward travel direction of the row unit.
 34. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 32, wherein the housing of the deliverysystem is inclined in the vertical direction such that the upper end ofthe housing trails the lower end of the housing in the forward traveldirection of the row unit.
 35. The seed metering and delivery apparatusof claim 11, wherein the housing of the delivery system is oriented in adirection parallel to the forward travel direction of the row unit suchthat the front wall and the rear wall are parallel to the forward traveldirection and the second side wall trails the first side wall in theforward travel direction.
 36. The seed metering and delivery apparatusof claim 11, wherein the first side wall comprises a substantiallystraight portion, wherein an inner surface of the substantially straightportion of the first side wall at least partially defines thesubstantially straight portion of the delivery path, wherein the firstside wall further comprises a lower curved portion extending at leastpartially around the lower roller, wherein an inner surface of the lowercurved portion of the first side wall at least partially defines acurved portion of the delivery path.
 37. The seed metering and deliveryapparatus of claim 36, wherein the inner surface of the lower curvedportion of the first side wall extends around the lower roller by about80 degrees.
 38. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 36,wherein the delivery system is configured such that the distal ends ofthe plurality of projections are disposed proximate the inner surface ofthe substantially straight portion of the first side wall in thesubstantially straight portion of the delivery path and wherein thedelivery system is configured such that the distal ends of the pluralityof projections are disposed proximate the inner surface of the lowercurved portion of the first side wall in the curved portion of thedelivery path.
 39. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 36,wherein the housing of the delivery system further comprises a ramp at alower end of the lower curved portion of the first side wall andadjacent the lower opening of the housing.
 40. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 39, wherein the ramp at the lower end of thelower curved portion of the first side wall is substantially straight.41. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein thedelivery belt comprises a brush belt.
 42. The seed metering and deliveryapparatus of claim 11, wherein each projection of the plurality ofprojections extends normally from a surface of the base member.
 43. Theseed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the deliverybelt defines a plurality of receptacles configured to contain the seedas the delivery belt moves the seed along at least a portion of thedelivery path, and wherein the seed meter and the delivery belt areconfigured to cooperate such that a single seed is contained within anyreceptacle of the plurality of receptacles.
 44. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein an inner surface of the housingand at least two projections of the plurality of projections at leastpartially define a receptacle configured to contain the seed as thedelivery belt moves the seed along at least a portion of the deliverypath.
 45. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 44, whereinthe at least two projections of the plurality of projections and atleast one of i) the inner surface of the first side wall, ii) an innersurface of the second side wall, iii) an inner surface of the frontwall, and iv) an inner surface of the rear wall at least partiallydefine a receptacle configured to contain the seed as the delivery beltmoves the seed along at least a portion of the delivery path.
 46. Theseed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 45, wherein the at leasttwo projections of the plurality of projections and the inner surface ofthe first side wall, the inner surface of the front wall, and the innersurface of the rear wall at least partially define a receptacleconfigured to contain the seed as the delivery belt moves the seed alongat least a portion of the delivery path.
 47. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 46, wherein the at least two projections ofthe plurality of projections, the base member, and the inner surface ofthe first side wall, the inner surface of the front wall, and the innersurface of the rear wall are configured to cooperate to move the seedalong the delivery path.
 48. The seed metering and delivery apparatus ofclaim 44, wherein the at least two projections of the plurality ofprojections are configured to grip an individual seed of the seed suchthat the receptacle is substantially equal to a volume of the individualseed.
 49. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, whereinthe delivery belt is configured to discharge the seed from the loweropening of the housing such that the rearward velocity component in thedirection opposite the seeding direction has a speed that issubstantially equal to the first seeding speed such that the rearwardvelocity component in the direction opposite the seeding direction issubstantially zero relative to the ground.
 50. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 49, wherein the housing of the deliverysystem is configured to move in the seeding direction at a secondseeding speed different than the first seeding speed during the seedingoperation, and wherein the delivery belt is configured to discharge theseed from the lower opening of the housing such that the rearwardvelocity component in the direction opposite the seeding direction has aspeed that is substantially equal to the second seeding speed such thatthe rearward velocity component in the direction opposite the seedingdirection is substantially zero relative to the ground.
 51. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the delivery beltis configured to move the seed along the substantially straight portionof the delivery path at a descent velocity.
 52. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 51, wherein the delivery belt is configuredaccelerate the seed from the descent velocity to the discharge velocity.53. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 36, wherein thedelivery belt is configured to move the seed along the substantiallystraight portion of the delivery path at a descent velocity and to movethe seed along the curved portion of the delivery path at a curvedportion angular velocity, wherein a linear speed of the curved portionangular velocity is greater than a linear speed of the descent velocity.54. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 53, wherein theseed is accelerated from the descent velocity to the curved portionangular velocity by rotating the plurality of projections around thelower roller and through the curved portion of the delivery path suchthat a linear speed of the distal ends of the plurality of projectionswithin the curved portion of the delivery path is greater than a linearspeed of the base member of the delivery belt within the curved portionof the delivery path.
 55. The seed metering and delivery apparatus ofclaim 53, wherein the linear speed of the curved portion angularvelocity is approximately equal to a linear speed of the dischargevelocity.
 56. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11,wherein the loading wheel axis is parallel to at least one of the firstroller axis and the second roller axis.
 57. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 56, wherein the loading wheel rotates aboutthe loading wheel axis in a first rotational direction and the deliverybelt rotates around the upper roller and the lower roller in a secondrotational direction, wherein the second rotational direction isopposite the first rotational direction.
 58. The seed metering anddelivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the loading wheel axis isparallel to the seed disk axis.
 59. The seed metering and deliveryapparatus of claim 11, wherein the loading wheel is configured to removethe seed retained on the front face of the seed disk at the removallocation.
 60. The seed metering and delivery apparatus of claim 11,wherein the loading wheel is configured to sweep across the seed pathand the plurality of apertures at the removal location.
 61. The seedmetering and delivery apparatus of claim 11, wherein the loading wheelis adjacent the upper opening of the housing of the delivery system.